sexton



l. P. SEXTUNY.

mamon of mamma msm somo Ano 1HE LIKE.

APPLICTIN. FILED DEC. \9, 19|?.

l,324.471. Patented Dec. 9,1919.A

6- SHEETS-SHEE J 20x v A z2 Ina/'enter fam s H Sexfon Patented Dec. 9,1919.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2 IHNUHIIH un"- 0 5| |||||Uh..n.||| Y Y luhnullslollllll H 1, P. SEXTN'.

METHOD 0F FOBMING PLASTIC BOARD AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I9, |911.

1. P. SEXYON.

Y METHODOF FRNHNG PLASTXC BOARD AND THF. UKE.

APPLICAUON FILES) DEC- \9, \9\ 'l.

Patented Dec. 2), 1919.

SHEETS-'SHUT 3.

J. i. SEXON. METHUD D? FHMNG PLASTIC BOARD AND THE LIKE.

y 'I APPLICAUDN FILED DEC- !9. |911.

1,324,471 .l Patented Dee. 9,1919.

6 SHEETS-SHEET f4.5 M 4? 6+. i i 42 MCNI a Y 1 /m/enfor fame P. exfon 1.P.sEx1uN. 'METHOD 0F FORNHNG PLASTlC BOARD AO 'WE LLSE.

' APPLICATIOKFILEDDEC.19.19|?. 1,324,471

sly/z 5 SHEETS-SHEET 5i Patented Dec. 9, 1919.

1. P. simon. METHOD OS FORNHNG PLASUC BOARD AND THE UKE.

Patented Dec. 9, 1919 6 SHEITS-SHEET 6.

im Alfa/my JAMES 1. SEXTON, 0F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

'METHOD 0F FORMING PLASTIC BOARD AND THE LIKE.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 19, 1917. Serial No. 207,855.

To all when?. t may concern Be it known that I', JAMES P. SExToN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles. in the county of Los Angeles, State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Methods of Forming Plastic Board and the like, of which the. following is a specification.

This invention relates to such articlesl known as .wall boards, plaster' boards, and the like, which are formed of a plastic material, or are formed of materials including a plastic material.- Although iny invention is generally applicable to boards oi the gew.

eral nature defined, I have applied my invention particularly to an article known as plaster board. Such a plaster board muy comprise a pair of face sheets, of paper or such material, carr 'ing between them a body of plastic materia such as plaster of any kind. And, although I do not limit my invention to such an application, I herein describe n'iy invention as applied to such a plaster board. Y

Plaster boards have heretofore been formed in various manners; including `formation in short lengt-hs, and including con tinuous formation upon a horizontallyniov ing belt or the like. Such prior methods of formation have generally embodied the laying down of one sheet of paper, the placement thereon of the plastic material, and the subsequent placement 'of the top paper sheet; .the whole being subjected to such pressure as the freely owing plastic materialwill stand under a roller or other suite able means for exerting pressure upon the board. After such formation, the boards are then usually handled in horizontal osition, supported upon a table, belt, ortie like, either singly or in a pile; and they must be supported in flat, horizontal position lltil the have suiciently set to enable them to be andled. l

A distinctive feature of 4my new method is that the boards are so formed' that they move substantially vertically, 4referably downwardly, from thepont of orination I form a typical plaster board by bringing downwardly convergntly towardl each other two facing sheets and sup lying the plastic material betweentheln an( then mov-ing the formed plaster board away in a eneral vertical direction from the point o formation.

Preferably/I .gravitate the formed board away from the point of formation; 9nd,.

further, preferably, I allow the formed board to hang pendulously from the point. of formation. Thus, as the board is formed,

it moves downwardl in its endulous io-\ i siton; and I then sever suitable lengths from the continuous board thus formed and thus hanging. These severed lengths I referably innnediately suspend, preferab y in spaced relation; and the lengths so spacedly suspended, are then allowed to set and are dried while so hung.

Forming the board in this manner enables me to not only make a better product, but also to do away with a substantialpart. of the machinery now commonly in use 1n making plaster board. It enables me to use 1naterials which set and dry more quickly than the materials vheretofore used; and to carry on the operationsof. setting and drying without disturbing the board in any manner whatsoever during those o erations. In fact, my systemandnietho of formation enable lne, -if I so desire, to carry the board through the operations of setting and drying without handling the board in any manner whatsoever.

The general scope of my invention, its features, and the advantages flowing therefrom, will be best understood by reference to the following specification, wherein I de scribe preferred modes of procedure, indieating and typifying my invention; and reference being further had to the accom anying drawings in which illustrate su1table mechanism for carrying'on my method.

Figure 1 is a verticaltransverse sectional elevation showing a typical form of mecha nism for carrying on m process; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sections. e ovation of the same.; Fi' 3 is an enlarged etail section taken as in icated by line 3 3 on Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a plan of one form ofelamp and cutter which I ma use to sevr the continuously formed' boar Fig. 5 is a side elevation` of the same; Fig. 6 is an enlarged view f anend portion of the clamp and cutter, s owin parts in i section; Fig. 'l is a transverse `see ion vshowing one form of thesection oLthe clamp; Fig. 8 isa transverse section on line 8-8 on Fig. 4; showin 'a-means of holding a clam together; Fig. is a section showings. modlfied form of the clamp; Fig. 10 is asection showing a modiied form of cutter; Figi 11 is a diagram showing a typical general plan. of a-p1ant to carry ,on my method; Fig, A12 'is a. vertical transversesectional Patented Dec. 9, 1919.

ioo

elevation4 i showin a modified form of mechanism; Figs. 1 a 14, and 15 are diagrams illustrat# ing m .lied forms of mechanism for forming the plaster board; Figs. 16, 17 and 18 show modiiied forms of clamps' and Fig. 1.9 shows another modification o the mecha nisxn.

In the drawingsz referring vfirst to'Fi 1 to 11, I show a suitable structure 20 whic in the form shown in Fig. 1, has a part pro vided with three stories embodying compartments 21, 22 and 23, one above the other.

he compartment 21 contains the forming machinery 24- the compartment 22 is the one through which the formed plaster board passes while it is being out; and thecompart ment 23 accommodates the tracks 25,and the drying carriers 26.

he form of mechanism now about to be described is one in which the plaster board' is formed while the face sheetsare traveling downwardly; in which the formed plaster board hangs pendulously from the forming machinery and is severed into lengths while thus ha'n -ng pendulously; and in which the severed engths are then moved on downwardly and are deposited, hanging in, the same dulous position, upon a drying carrier, t e drying carrier conveying the suspended lengths away to the drying room 27,. passing through the transfer room 28 on the way to the drying room.

vThe forming machinery is best shown in Fig. 3. I employ a pair of forming rolls 30 mounted in bearings 31. The-se rolls may be geared together by gears 32 if so deslred, so that' they will rotate at e ual s eeds 1n o posit/e directions as indicate( in ig. 3; altihough I have found by actual practice that this gearing of the rolls may not be necessary. The two paper facing sheets 33 preferably pass diagonally downwardly from over rolls 34 and converge ward each other and pass over the inner o posing faces-of the forming rolls 30, and t en pa vertically downwardly as indicated. ere the two sheets 33 pass convel-gently downwardly they form the op site inclined sidesof a hopper which ho ds the supply ui plastic material 35. The two sheets may be supported' by passing over plates 36, so as to sup ,rt'the wei ht of the plastic material; and t e sides of t 'e hopper may be formed by suitable plates as shown at 37. The plastic material may be fed into the 'hopper from any suitable mixer. The rotation of rolls 30 causes the downward movement of the paper sheets and causes the downward movement bf the plastic material between the paper sheets and between the rolls 30. The paper sheets move under the mass of material at 35, causingv the material to be eiiiciently scoured in tp the paper. makin a more perfect hond with the paper than 1s otherwise possible.l Furthermore.

4ing a the simple expedient' of varying the size o the hopper) causes a certain pressure on the lastic material between the rolls 30, creat--y greater pressure between' the rolls, and forcing the plastic material into a more dense and compact and evenl distributed mass between the two sheets'o paper.than 1s the case where the plaster board ls'formed while traveling in a horizontal dirtion between the two rolls 'spaced one above 'the other. yFor this reason, a firmer and less fluid plasticmaterial ma he used, because the greater pressure ena le'sfthisless :fluid material to e satisfactorilyg'fxmpacted between the paper sheet. Such 'a plastic ma terial sets and dries quickly.

This preferred method and mechanism have the advantages' set forth hereinabove; but the broader aspects of my invention do not require such preferred operation. For instance, the paper sheets may be fed in directly over the rolls 30 without coming down diagonally and convergently.

After formation between the forn'iing rolls` 30, the finished continuous length of'plas ter board move-s downwardly,A and, in this particular form of mechanism andv method. hangs pcndulouslj,r from the forming rolls. Hanging in this position, the plaster board 1s kept free from any distortion. In the compartment 22 this continuous pendnlous sheet of board is severed into suitable lengths. This may be done by any suitable means, by any suitable cutting mechanism;

or it may be very expeditiously accomplished b a. cutter mounted' upon a clamp. I show t e details of s'lich elampsand cutters in Figs. 4 to 10. I provide a clamp with two sxdebars 46 and 41. 'Forpurposes of ease in utting the clamp 'around the continuous ength of (plaster board.. these two side board 40` an |41 are not permanently connecte at one end by the operation4 of a plate 42 secured to member 40 and havin n hanfapartureL 43 througi which a. nloosely passes, pin 44 ing'moun I upon member 41, and the pin 44 ma be bent or inclined in position, so that w enV it is inserted in the opening 43, its longitudinal movement will cause the member 41 to be moved laterally toward the member 30 to securely engage the plaster board at that end ,af the clamp. At the other. end of the clamp I may rovide a suitable sprinv catch 45; and hand es 46 may be rovid formanipulating the clamp. hese handles '46. and' the pin` 44 may also provide the means of suspending the' clamp' upon the carrier mechanisms. vI show cach member 40' and 41 e nip ed with a serratedor tooth cutter 4 aiapted to cut or sever the plaster board at the top of the clamp when the together but are ions IIB

clamp is applied thereto. The interior surfaces of the clamp members -lO and 4l are preferably made with groovesl or hollows as shown at 48, so as to forni a bulge in the plastic material at 49 to more firmly and securely hold the still plastic board. In Fig. 9 I show a modification of such arrangement. in which the inner fare of member 40 is convex and the inner face ot' member 41 is concave, but more concave than member 40 is convex. so as to make. in effect, the saine bulging of iiiatei'ial as in the form shown in Fig. 7.

In Fig. 10 I show a clamp equipped with a different form of cutter. The member 40 may be beveled olf as at 4U, and a strip of suitable hard woodiiiay be secured to the upper edge of member 41. as shown at 47; this stri having a sharpened edge toward the mem er 40. I haveffound that such a wooden cutter, even when having a verywdull edge, will easily shear the' laster lath while it is yet in plastic condition. These combined clamps and cutters, designated geiierally by the numeral 39 in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, are applied in any suitable manner to the continuous pendulous strip passing down through the compartment 22. A air of vertically traveling chains 50 travel 1n the posi tions shown in the drawings, one on each side of the pendulous Strip. These chains 50 travel over sprockets on the shaft of roller 30, and 'are arranged to travel at the saine speed as the formed board 33. These chains carry supportinglbrackets 51 at suitable intervals. In practice, chains 50 are made of such length, andthe brackets 51 so spaced, that lengths 'of different dimensions .may be severed from the continuous board. The downwardiy traveling sides of the chain 50 travel approximately in the position illustrated with referenceV to qlie penduloiis'board 49.4 ,The operator i ,te one part of the cutter clamp between the chains and the board and e may accurately .position the clam by aliningit with or sho der 51* of the clamp. other part of the chimp in lace on the o po- 'site side of the board andpoloses the clmp on the board., 5The length of board is thus simultaneously severed from the continuous board and ish'eld by the .clam '39. The;

severed length t us coming causes theclamp to1 sli down the brac et 51v into the 4lower hool .part of the bracket, at 51, the clamp sliding outwardly away from the chains at the same time. This slight outward movement of the clamp carries the severed length ofboard f19so`mewhat away from the chains so that there is no liability of the chains striking it.`

e severed length passes on down, by the' downward movement the clamp 39 is de 'osited upoithe carrier 26. This carrier 2 may comprise a simple weight of the dryin `form to the upon the upper He then puts the vmay again converge of the chains, untilV form of overhead carrier embodying a pair of beams 26 carried upon wheels or rollers 26 running on the tracks 25. As the successive severed lengths ot' hoard are deposit'ed on the beams 26. the previously lc-- positcd lengths may be moved alongil the beams until the carrier is loaded to itsl capacity, carrying the suspended lengths of plaster board in spaced relation to each other. It will be noted that the suspended lengths can not beplaced any closer to each other than the thickness ot' the clamp parte will allow; and these clamp parts may be iliade of such thickness as to give the proper minimum spacing. W'hen a carrier 26 is thus loaded, it is moved away into the transfer room 28, and another carrier is moved. into 4position to be next loaded. The transfer room 28 may be of any suitable length. to accommodate any suitable number of carriers, and is provided for the purpose of allowing1 the severed lengths to somewhat (lrliv and Set before being carried into the higher temperature of the drying;r room 27. In the drying room 2T the parts are thoroughly dried. Now, the carriers with their suspended boards may be moved more or less continuously through the transfer and drying rooms, or the rooms may be filled to capacity and a whole batch dried at once and then moved out. In any case, I may provide such an arrangement. as is shown in diagram in Fig. l1. In this diagram I sliow'the com artments 23, 28 and` 27, being respectively, t e rooms in which the carriers are loaded, the transfer room and the dryinfr room or kiln. .The tracks 25 extend throng i the room 23 track 25 may branch into two tracks 25, and the double tracks may extend through the room 27. These double tracks may enten on around and back parallel to the rooms, being preferably extended in double point designated 60, where the boards may be taken off the carrier;- the double track facilitating efficiency in haiidling the carriers and taking olf the boards. After. passing this point the.clouble tracks into the single track 25 which extends'l on around and enters the room 23. The` carriers are moved in this closed circuit around the tracks. Double trackage in the drying room 'allows one track to be filled in the process of drying while the opposite track is being filled or be"- ing emptied.

The rolls 30 may be run from a motor 80 through the mediunrof worm gearing 81. I prefer worm gearing for reasons `stated as fo lows. When the machinery is started power is required: but as'soon as the pendulous length of board has been formed, then the weight of this length will mechanism; and', if a brake of some sort is not provided, the machinery will run away.

run the.

and in the transfer rooni'28 the The motor and its worm gear provides a suitable brake to keep the mechanism run n' at the proper speed.

ow, altho h I describe the 'formed board as hanging ,vertically and pendulougly, this is not essential' to the process. Th'e" formed hoard may move substantially vertically, either upwardl or downwardly, or it ma move downwar ly in anyl manner in whic it ma' avitatc. For instance, it may be mov over an inclined chute or surface-either up or down` In Fi 12 I show a somewhat modified forni o arrangement in which the board forni' mechanism 24 may be the saine as herein escrbedbut the chains instead v 'of e'ictend' down vertically, may extend down and t en horizontally and then upwardly, passing over rollers or idlers at 61 andV 62 to pass back to the mechanism 44. The continuous length of formed board t9 may be carried ardiind with the chains in the somewhath curved or bent foi'ifniiitionl illustrated, withoutV hurting the board as it r is still plastic. The boards are seve at a suitable point and are supported bythel clamps 39 in the same manner as before cxplained, and are dropped upon the carriere 26 where the chain turns over the idlers 61g the carrier 26 travel upon the rails 25. This arrangement has t e advantage of decreasing the height fof the structure 20; and it Still retains the advnt of forming the plaster board in a vertice position and o f then pendnlously hanging in a vertical position for drying and sett' the board airing Vonly undergone a slight distortion while still plastic.

In Fig. 13 I indicate in diagram how the lcontinuons lengthb hoard 49 may be made between horizontally spaced rolle 30e. One pa r sheet 33* may be drawn 1n horizon tal y over a table or other horizontal surface at 65 the laster being buttered onto the paf per 3* by being fed on at. 66 and passin under a' roll 67. The other paper sheet 38g is fed under one 'of the .rolls 30. Two paper sheets 33u and 33', with the interposed plaster are drawn upwardl from-between the ro f. 30". This may be one in any sintable manner, It has been` done by hand. The vertical continuous length of boardthus formed may be severed into suitable lengths and nded and allowed to set and dry.

' In Fig. 14 I indicate how the board may be formed at an angle to the perpendicular. Here the rolls areset in such position that the board 49`may move o down the inclined chute or carrier 80.' /The length of board may be clit while in the incline or after it reaches a horizontal part v81 of the chiite; if cut on the incline t e severed lengths 4-,9 may be allowed to tnove on down to the horizontal position and there he picked up or otherwise moved o.

I may do by placing a collar 85'around one of the rollers 30 to crowd one of the sheets 33 over against the other at one edge. This edge then forms a selvage to be finally severed. from the finished 'boardn` vAny suitable forni of clamp may be used to engage this sclvage edge; such'forms are showin in Fi 16 to 18. 1i4 a channel bar 91 between which the selvage Blige 92 may be c amped by the clamp screws 92 and handles 93. In Fi 16 and 17 the bar 90 carries the charme bar 91` loosely mounted on screws 94, to move loosely to and from the bar 90. The selvage edge 92 is passed between the two clamp bars as shown in Fig. 16 and the clamp hars then are twisted around to the sition shown in Ei 17. The selvage e ge is then held tightly between the bars; and when the 'board 49 is suspended from the clamp the bar 91 is then pulled down on the se age edge li! the weight of the board.

n ig. 19' I illustrate howY my general method may be applied to making plaster boards wherein the interior plaster projects `through 'perforations in the sheets 33. In

auch -a case the paster will be pressed out through thelper i-ations if no backing is used. Intlie form shown in Fi 14, orin any similar form, .where a chute is used, the chute ,strrfaoe may forni. the necessary backf ing.the' perforated sheet being placed next the chute surface. However in such a case, and particu-lari where both the sheets 33 are perforated, may run the board 49 between two belts (metal or other material) asshown at 100, running over rolls 30 and moving down parallel under the rolls. This arrangement may be iisbd with any of the 2,126 and any o f the methods herein de- Froni 4the foregoing description it is believed that lmy invention willtbe readily un: dqrsidi "f wed Fig. I8 I employ a bar 90 with I iota like in vertical position, p

and of suspending it in vertical position while settin and d 'ng have 'been fully explained, ntheart ere' indicated, Ibel .lieve that my invention is road' inritschar acter and' scope and specific mechanical details herein set forth, nor to the specific details of procedure here- 1'20' is not limited, to um..

in set forth; .and :he following claims are therefore directed to the broad aspect ofiny invention as well as to the preferred specific forms thereof.

Having described a invention, I claim:

1. The herein described method'of inakpreferi'ed form `of my iat` l iso ing plastic boards and the like, embodying forming the' 'board from nmtermlsinclud1n ,Jr a plastic material withl the board in a vertical plane, and allowing the formed board to y set while suspended in a voiticaly Vllene.

2|. The herein described method of making plastic boards and the like, embodying fol-min,r the board in a vertical suspended position, and allowing the board to set while in a suspended position.

The herein described method of male ing;r plastic boards and the like, embodying lorming the board in a vertical suspended position, and allowing the board to set and drying it while in a suspended position.

4. The herein described method of makingplastie board and the like; embodying forming the hoard in a continuons pendulous sheet, severing the sheet into lengths` and suspendin the severed lengths.

5. The herein described method of making plastiff board and. the like, embodying 'forming the board in a continuous pendulces sheet, severing the sheet into lengths, suspending the severed lengths, and allow lng the severed lengths to set and drying them while so suspended. 4

(l. The'` herein described method of mak ing plastic board and the like, enibodyingr forming the boardA in a continuous peni dulous sheet, severing the sheet into lengths, suslmndin the severed lengths in spaced relation., anc drying the severed lengths while so suspended in spaced relation.

7. The herein described method of mak-- `ingr plastic board and the like, embodying forming the board in a continuons pen dulous sheet, clam iing the formed board at spaced points ant simultaneously seiv'ering and suspending! the severed lengths 'from their upper clamped ends The herein described method of makV ing,r 'plastic hoard and the like, embodying` forming the hoard in e continuous pen dulous sheet, clamping the formed board at spaced points, simultaneously severing and suspending the severed lengths from their upper clamped ends in spaced relation, and drying the lengths while so suspended in spaced relation.

il. The herein described method of inaking;r plastic board and the like. embodying forming' the board in a continuons pendulons sheet.V clamping the formed board at spacedv points and simultaneously' severing the board just above the points of clamping, suspending the severed lengths to set and drying them while .so suspended in spaced relation.

1i). The herein described method of mak ing: plastic board end the like, embodying eonwrgently moving two facing sheets downwardly and toward each other` and then nmvingthe two sheets vertically downwardly parallehto each other, and supplying a plastic substance between the sheets where theyA converge, said substance being,y supplied in such quantity as to cause an :lx-- cess mass of said substance 1o be' present be tween the converging sheets, then severing the downward moving board into lengths, and sus )ending the severed lengths.

11 Tl1e herein described method ot' making plastic board and the like, embmlyinglr eonvergently moving two facing sheets downwardly and toward each other, and then moving the two sheets vertically downwardly parallel to each other, and supplyinglji plastic substance between the sheets wheie they converge, said substance being supplied 4in such quantity as to cause an excess mass of said substance to be present between the converging sheets, then' severing the downward moving; board into lengths, and suspending the severed lengths, in

spaced relation, and allowingr the lengths to set and dryingr them while so suspended 1n spaced relation.

l2. The herein described method ol making,r plastic board and the like, embodying convergent-ly moving two facing sheets downwardly and toward each other and then allowingthe two sheets to more downwardly hanging pendulously parallel to each other, and snpplyinga plastic substance between the two sheets, then severing the pendulous plastic board Vinto lengths and suspending the lengths.

13. The herein described method of making plastic board and the like, embodyingr convergently moving two facing sheets downwardly and toward each other and then allowing the two sheets to move downwardly hanging pendulously parallel to each other, and supplying a plastic ubstance between the two sheets, then severing the pendnlons plastic board into lengths and suspending the lengths, and allowing the lengths to set. while so suspended.

14. The herein described method of making plastic board and the like, embodying convcrgently moving two facing sheets downwardly and toward each other and then allowing the two sheets to move downwardly hanging pendrdously parallel to each other, and supplying a plastic substance between the two sheets, then severing the pendulous plastic board into lengths and suspending the lengths in spaced relation, and allowing the lengt-hs to set and drying them While so spacedly suspended.

15. The herein described method. of making plastic hoard tind the like, embodying convergently moving two facing sheets downwardly and toward each other and supplying an unset plastic substance betweenthe two sheets, and then allowing the two sheets with the interposed plastic substance to move downwardly hanging pendulously.

16. 'Ille herein described lmethod of making plastic board and the like, emb'od ing forming theboard in a lcontinuous 4e eet',V ca the formed 'board to move' away Y ment thereof.

17. The hmm described method of meking plastic board and the like, 3

forming the board in a continuous causing' the formed board to move away from the point of formation, severing it into successive lengths, and causing the suc cessively severed lengths to move away from the moving board in the direction of movement thereof, and suspending the severed lengths.

18. The herein described method of making plastic board and the like, embod ing forming the board in n continuous s eet, allowing the formed board to gravitate away from the'point of formation, severing the `formed board into len hs end allowing eachy successively severed ength to dro awa from the downwardly moving formes boer 19. The herein described method of making plastic board andthe like, embodying forming a composite board ofsheets of material and interposed unset fplastie substance, suspending lenf'ths of the ormed board and alloveiig the engths to' set while so suspen '20. The herein described method f mak forming the board in a continuous s t, clamping and severing the formed board at :spaced olnts alon its length, and suspend- JAMES P. SEXTON.

severed ength from itsl clamped Witness f V. Bnnmonn.

ing plastic board andthe like, embod ing 

